Sweet Spots for Daytime Trick-or-Treating

Your kids have finally settled on their 5th costume idea (how many baby sharks will be out there this year?) and you’ve put on the final touches! But where to go? With darker and colder nighttime creeping up, daytime events are the ticket for young witches and wizards. Hit up these spots for bright, safe Trick or Treating in the day or early evening– all the fun with less of the scary! Read on for more!

Here’s your chance to visit some ghosts in an actual spooky cemetery! Lone Fir Cemetery in SE Portland is a beautiful historic park, named one of the top ten cemeteries in the nation by National Geographic. The family-friendly event offers trick-or-treating in the daytime, hosted by some of Lone Fir’s most famous ghosts. Many of Portland’s famed residents are buried here and you might recognize some of the names, like founder Asa Lovejoy or Dr. James Hawthorne. The “ghosts” will hand out candy and chat about their lives and contributions to the city.

There’s plenty of fun on Alberta Street this Halloween! Join the legions of costumed children gathering treats and prizes from participating businesses along this wild street. And hurry—the first 500 kids who trick or treat at the fantastic kids’ bookstore Green Bean Books will get a very special treat or treat bag! Don’t miss more kids fun at Grasshopper, some holiday crafting supplies at Collage, and check out the spooky flavors of the month at Salt and Straw, like Creepy Crawly Critters with (real!) edible bugs!

The place to go for young ones who don’t need more candy! (So, everyone.) Join the Children’s Museum for a fun Trick or Treat adventure to various exhibits, where they’ll be able to do spooky art projects, get their hands on some gooey slime, and enjoy holiday events. Instead of candy, they’ll get to collect glow sticks, buttons, and toys. A safe, supportive, non-sugary environment for a fun Halloween day!

Alternatively, visit on Sunday for the Not-So-Scary Halloween for even more fun including Trick-or-Treat bag decorating, a pumpkin smash, and glow-in-the-dark painting!

Come Trick or Treating on one of the Official Great American Main Streets in 2018! Oregon City has transformed itself over the past few years into a vibrant downtown that offers historical viewpoints with lively modern businesses. At their annual Trick or Treating event, costumed kiddos can stroll the Great American Main Street for candy, all before nightfall!

Aiming to be as educational as it is fun, the Zoo brings the Howl to Howloween with two full weekends of events this year! Dress them in their cutest costumes and set them free for scavenger hunts, activities, and all the candy they can fit. The zoo offers all deforestation-free candy, without palm oil, helping to protect the habitats of orangutans and elephants (learn more when you visit!). Pick your weekend wisely– on Oct 20 and 21 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will explain the invasive species of “Monster Invaders” in our waters, and on Oct 27 and 28 you can join in the international celebration of Bat Week. All activities are best suited for ages 2-12, though everyone is welcome.

Another street full of fun stops to take your masked monsters, Mississippi pulls out all the stops for Halloween. Orange and black balloons mark the places to visit for bucket-filling. Don’t miss the toy store Black Wagon for special treats, and top it all off with pies and puppets at Mississippi Pizza Pub.Halloween, 3-6 p.m.Mississippi Ave.Online: mississippiave.com

Visit the happening Main Street of Tigard with an eye out for pumpkins in the windows, and you’ll be rewarded with fun Trick or Treating for the whole family! Downtown merchants will be handing out candy and treats all the way from North Main to the southern Main Street Village. Join in the fun at this early daytime event!